Centrifugal pump apparatus



Jan. 26, 1943. w. P. NAEGELE ET AL 2,309,327

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5/ 7 1 4 /20 /03 //5 //6 //8 /34 ATTORNEY 1943. w. P. NAEGELE-ETAL 2 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1941 gnz 4.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A'i'To'RNEY Jan 1943- w. P. NAEGELE ET AL CENTRIFUGAL PUMP APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IINVENTO mpA ge fee/7 ATTORNEY Patented an. 26, 1943 2,309,327 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP APPARATUS William P. Naegele, Luca bock, Sylvan s, and Fred W. Steen- Grove, Kans.

Application February 24, 1941, Serial No. 380,104 1 Claim. (01. 103-115) The present invention relates to pumping apparatus, and aims to provide various improved features of construction in connection with apparatus of that character.

One of the important features of improvement relates to the impeller member forming the main operative member 'of the centrifugal type of pump, the object being to provide a much more highly eflicient type of impeller for increasing the capacity of the pump and its ease of operation; and we accomplish this by a peculiar arrangement and construction of the impeller blades or vanes, whereby they produce a more effective pumping action with greater resistance or opposition to back pressure, and which moreover reduces to a minimum those losses which commonly result from recirculation of the water in the pump itself.

A further improvement consists in the provision of a more effective means of lubricating the apparatus and in a construction for this purpose which enables the packing connections to be located as close to the bearings as possible and in very close relation to the pump impeller also.

Further important features of improvement are in connection with the intake construction for the pump, for which we have devised improvements in relation not only to the priming means but also as regards provision for effectively cleaning and flushing out the pump intake connection so as to expel all foreign matter tending to clog and obstruct the operation of the P m With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be, described by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a' practical and eflicient form of apparatus which has been found suitable for the embodiment of our various items of improvement, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel and patentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view showing a pump ap paratus, constructed in accordance with our present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an elevation, representing a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation, representing a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1-the lower portions of the supporting framework being broken away;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views representing 66 and 1- Figure 8 is representing of Figure 1;

sections taken on the lines 55, respectively, of Figure 4;

an enlarged detail sectional view, a section taken on the line 8-8 Figure 9 is a sectional detail view, representing a transverse section taken on the line 99 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an elevation illustrating a modified form of construction for the pump impeller member;

Figure 11 is also an elevation, at right angles to the plane of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a sectional elevation, representing the pump intake member (see Figures 1, 2

and 4).

outlet member (not shown).

At the opposite side of the main pump casing 20 is secured, as by means of screws 28, a plate or disk member 30 having a central shaft receiving opening 32. This central shaft opening 32 is designed to admit the impeller shaft 36 to which is keyed, as indicated at 31, the pump impeller member for rotation within the pump casing 20. This impeller member is shown in throughout posed a washer 45 and packing ring 46 against which the intake member is clamped by means of the screws 22 already referred to. means the pump casing and intake member are connected together in water-tight relation and also for relative rotative movement as required for any raising and lowering which may be necessary for the intake member to properly position the receiving end thereof.

The interior of the impeller member is thus open to the intake 24, and the middle portion of the disk 39 is also formed with a central opening 50 of sufiiciently larger size than the opening H to allow free and ample circulat1on both sides of the interior of the impeller member. As clearly shown in Figure 5, the inner portions of the vanes 42 have a much more pronounced curvature as compared with their outer end portions which run more and more nearly parallel with the outer peripheries of the disks 38, 39 and 40; more specifically, each vane covers an extent of a substantially threequ'adr'ants curvature, with an initial relatively sharp curvature through its first quadrantal portion and a relatively lower curvature through its "second or intermediate quadrantal portion and having its remaining outer portion running almost parallel with a quandrantal portion of the impellers periphery and terminating in substantially tangential relation thereto.

To the outer face of the disk or pla e 30 is secured, by means of bolts 48, a flanged casing 5| of annular form, for providing an outer water jacket space 54 separated by a partition 52 from an inner packing chamber 56. A suitable water circulating connection 58 is provided for said water jacket space 54-said connection 58 being conveniently attached to the discharge portion 25 of the pump casing 20 as shown in Figure 2. Moreover, tubular connections 60, provided with feed screws 62, are arranged to feed a stringlike type of packing material through feed pas sages 63 which are arranged to extend from opposite directions into substantially tangential relation to said packing chamber, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings.

The shaft 36 is provided with a packing retaining member 63 (see Figures 4 and 13) which is rigid with the shaft and formed with an outer plain fiange 64 which provides the outer wall for said packing chamber 56; whereas the hub portion of said member 63 projects through a beveled collar 66 which is fitted within said packing chamber and against the outer face of the plate or disk 30--the said member 63 being free to turn therein. The sloping face of the collar 66 is designed to crowd the packing material 65 over toward the flange 64 and thus tend to counteract the pull exerted by the suctional action of the impeller.

Water can flow around the inner edge of the partition 52 and through bypass openings or passages 61 (see Figure 13) to the opening 32 and thus into the pump or impeller chamber under the pull of the pump action; and the bottom of the water jacket space or chamber is provided with a suitable outlet or drain plug 59.

The construction just described is such as not only to provide an eflicient means for feeding the special string or rope-like type of packing material into the packing chamber, but also to enable the bearing structure for the shaft to be located as near to the impeller chamber as possible.

The impeller shaft 36 is mounted at its oppo- BY this site ends in roller bearing structures 68 supported by suitable framework 69 including curved or saddle portions 69' that are attached by screws I0 to flange portions 1| and 1 I adjacent to said bearingssaid flange portion II being also secured by screws 12 to studs or posts I3 projecting from the outer face of said plate member 30.

Between the bearings 68 is provided an ample oil reservoir 15 for shaft cooling purposes, said reservoir having a filling opening fitted with a screw plug I6, as shown in Figure 4.

Preferably adjacent to the bearings 68 are also provided packing spaces or chambers I8 having feed connections I9 and feed screws which are in general similar to those already described, but utilizing a single feed screw 80 in cooperation with an inclined stop or abutment surface 82 for compressing the packing material, and having the packing spaces or chambers I8 arranged so that the shaft 36 is in eccentric relation thereto, as illustrated in Figure 'I.

The shaft 36 is provided with a main drive pulley 84,-and also an auxiliary pulley 86 for a drive belt 88 which operates a pulley 90 on one end. of a countershaft 9I carried by a suitable bearing housing 92 and provided at its other end with a bevel gear 94 meshing with a gear 96 on a shaft 98 which is operatively connected with an auxiliary primer pump structure I00. This primer pump is provided with intake openings WI and also a priming connection I02 with a check-valve casing I03 at the lower or receiving end of the intake member 24-said pipe connection I02 being also provided with a conventional type of check valve I04-all as illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings.

As shown in Figure 1, the bearing housing 92 is provided with a supporting connection I05 to the intake member 24, and is further supported by a tie piece I08 having a yoke element I09 and nuts IIO for embracing said member 92 and also a similar yoke member H2 and nuts II4 for rotatably mounting said tie piece on the casing forming the oil reservoir I5, thereby accommodating said housing member 92 to the raising and lowering movements of the intake member as above referred to.

The check-valve casing I03 is provided with a cover plate II5 removably secured by screws II6 to the top of said casing, and the top of said cover plate II5 carries bearings II8 for slidably mounting a rod I20 which is formed with a return bend portion I2I for engaging a flap type of check valve I22 inside the casing I03. This valve I22 is adapted to engage a valve seat I23 and is provided with a pair of supporting links I24, the lower ends of which are pivoted centrally to the valve disk as indicated at I25, while the other ends of the links I24 are fulcrumed at I26 in fixed lugs I21, as illustrated in Figure 8. The links I24 are also connected intermediate their ends by a cross-bar I28 adapted to be engaged by a hook I29 projecting from the valve disk, but allowing some play of the valve upon its connections. Thus the rod I20 may be operated to open the valve as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 8, for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained.

The extreme or receiving end of the intake member 24 is provided with a screening structure comprising wire basket sections, including a fixed section I30 which is secured to the under portion of the intake member and also a hinged section I32 which is hingedly mounted as indicated at I34 upon fixed and upwardly projecting brackets A pumping apparatus having the construction which we have here described has numerous important advantages in its operation, and particularly as to the efficiency of the impeller design, and also as to the arrangement and construction of the packing features as well as the foot valve and screening structure for the receiving end of the pump intake member.

The design of the construction for the impeller' member is of high efliciency owing to the I36-all as clearly illustrated in Figures 1, d 8. I

- particular contour of the vanes or blades 42 having the pronounced or relatively sharper curvature at their inner end portions where they lead oil? from the shaft center and then gradually tapering off in curvature to a contour which runs almost parallel to aquadrant portion of the impellers periphery and.fina1ly terminating in substantially tangential relation thereto. This has the eifect of interposing as little obstruction as possible to the movement of the water, so that the pump pulls easier and at the same time produces greater resistance to back pressure, which is extremely important as regards the economy of its operation: and proven results actually indicate that the apparatus will pump water at slower speeds, in addition to operating very efiiciently at still higher speeds than the conventional types of centrifugal pumps. Moreover, with the vanes coiling around each other in the particular relation shown, and their tip ends reaching entirely to-the periphery of the impeller, it is quite obvious that there is not the usual loss in pumping capacity which so commonly results from the water dropping back from one vane on to the next following vane and necessitating a partial recirculation of the same water before it is finally discharged from the pump.

The described packing construction is,of an improved andmuch more eflicient design, in enabling the packing material of stringo'r ropelike consistence to be fed in a most effective manner into the packing chambers. Moreover, since the type of packing construction illustrated requires very little room, it is possible to locate it that much closer to the bearings and as close to the impeller as possible; and the packing can furthermore be adjusted to tighten the same while the apparatus is still running.

The screen structure I30 and I32 serves to prevent objects and foreign matter from entering the intake member which would be too large to pass through the pump. The hinged screen section I32 provides a convenient means for obtaining access to inspect the flap valve I24. In the normal operation of the pump, the suction created by the operation will cause said valve to open and admit the water through the intake into the pump. The closed position of said valve (as shown by course facilitates the priming operation when necessary, by operation of the auxiliary priming pump I 00. For cleaning and flushing out the intake member and the valve chamber I 03 and screening structure, the rod I20 is adjusted to hold the flap valve I24 in open position, and the drive to the mainpump impeller is speeded up and then cut off, whereupon the back wash of water through the intake will flush out all the foreign matter. The flap valve is maintained open throughout this cleaning operation and the trated in Figure 12 of spondng flange 41) and its the full lines in Figure 8) of drive to the pump is restored soon enough to prevent the pump from losing its prime-said flap valve being allowed to close only after the pumping action has again started. Themethod of mounting said valve I24 (that is, to have some play on its connections) enables said valve to properly accommodate itself in case of dirt, etc., on the valve seat I23, and thus fit snugly in closed position.

In Figures 10 to 12 is illustrated a somewhat modified form of the impeller apparatus, in which modification the intermediate partition of the first construction is dispensed with, and the impeller casing is constructed with simply the outer disk portions 38' and 40' connected by all four of the vanes 42' extending clear across the space between said disk portions and omitting the middle disk memof said first form of the impeller construction. The vanes 42' are of the same contour, having the pronounced or relatively sharp curvature as they lead out from the shaft center, and thereafter gradually tapering oil and hugging closely to the outer periphery of the disks and finally terminating'in tangential relation with said outer periphery, as clearly illusalready described in the The'modifled impeller with its intake opening member is constructed 4I' (inside th correhub portion 43' in the same relation as before, for adapting the same to be mounted in the same operative relation as already explained and illustrated.

It will therefore be apparent from the foregoing that we have devised a very practical and highly efilcient arrangement and construction for found to be very satisfactory forms of tion for accomplishing the improved results as within the spirit and scope of our invention as" WILLIAM P. NAEGELE. FRED W. STEENBOCK. 

